CHENNAI: Expressing shock over an incident in which school students brutally attacked a sub-inspector of police under the influence of ganja, PMK founder S Ramadoss has urged the state government to take stringent action against the substance including formation of special police teams.

In his statement, the senior leader said that Balamurugan, a sub-inspector attached to Radhakrishnan Nagar police station, was attacked by five school students of class-10 near Vaidhyanathan Bridge in Tondiarpet.

"It gives further shock that the students were under the influence of ganja and alcohol. Alcohol and ganja gave them courage to attack a police official. This shows how ganja and alcohol are available to the students without any check," he said.

He recalled that a police constable was chased with knives by a group of youngsters under the influence of ganja in Kattupakkam on August 22.

"The truth is the sale of ganja and illegal liquor has gone beyond control in Tamil Nadu.

As the law bans sale of alcohol to the persons under age of 21, from where the class-10 students got alcohol? This is the evidence for illegal sales. Also, ganja is being sold in all the streets of Chennai," he opined.

He urged the government to take measures to implement complete prohibition in the state by closing wine shops and launching a three-digit toll free complaint number so that the public can report ganja sales in their localities.

"Details of such persons should be kept in secret and they should be rewarded. As ganja is being brought from other states, state police should destroy plantations in those states. Priority should be given in promotions for police officials, who catch ganja by conducting checks in state borders. Special teams should be formed against ganja," he urged.

He also demanded the government to conduct awareness campaigns against alcohol, ganja and others among students, and the DGP should review ganja operations every month.